A honing machine of this kind is already known in the art, for example, from the “SynchroFine 205 HS” brochure from PRÄWEMA Antriebstechnik GmbH, Eschwege/Werra, Del.
During honing, the tooth flanks of a toothed workpiece, such as a gear wheel or a gear unit, are hobbed against a so-called honing ring, which usually comprises a ceramic material or is coated with a ceramic material. Material is removed from the tooth flanks of the workpiece in this process. The honing ring is essentially circular in shape and comprises tooth flanks pointing radially inwards. When the workpiece and the honing ring are hobbed against one other, the honing ring is rotated by means of a tool spindle and the workpiece is likewise rotated by means of a workpiece spindle.
Considerable heat is generated when the honing ring and the workpiece are hobbed against one another. In order to prevent the honing ring and the workpiece overheating, these are cooled by oil. In this process the oil is usually sprayed onto the contact area between the honing ring and the workpiece at high pressure. The oil also washes away fine particles and dust at the same time during this operation.
A fine oil mist arises as a result of spraying the oil onto the fast-rotating honing ring and the even faster-rotating workpiece, said oil mist being dispersed within the honing machine and being deposited more or less throughout the honing machine, for example on the inner walls and roof of the machine housing. After the honing procedure, workpieces are regularly heavily coated with oil and have to be washed in some cases before any further processing. Overall, the honing machine can be a considerable source of contamination in a production line.
In the current state of the art, such as in the case of the “SynchroFine 205 HS”, as mentioned above, parts of the honing machine, such as the workpiece feed region, are shielded from the tool spindle by intermediate walls to contain the oil mist dispersion.
The object of the invention is to create a honing machine with improved containment of oil mist dispersion. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.